Anwar Ibrahim, the jailed opposition leader was given full pardon by the Malaysian King, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V.
The Star newspaper in its online edition today said the Sultan has consented to granting Anwar Ibrahim a full and immediate pardon.
Newly minted Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad said to the Star:
“The Agong has told (DAP secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng that he has agreed to grant a full pardon to Anwar.”
This was what Mahathir told a press conference Friday after a Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting.
“We will go through the proper process of obtaining the pardon for Anwar. It’s going to be a full pardon, which means that he is not only pardoned but released immediately,” he added.
Dr Mahathir said that Pakatan would immediately begin the process of getting Anwar’s pardon formalized.
During the election campaign, Mahathir made Anwar’s pardon and release a major horse battle.
This might, according to observers, has added to the ‘Malay Tsunami’ that helped overthrew the Najib Razak regime.
The impact of Anwar Ibrahim in the elections are huge, and his ‘reformasi’ movement would have contributed largely to the success of the Pakatan Harapan victory.
Mahathir and Anwar were two powerful leaders of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in the 1990’s.
They had a fall-out following the Asian currency crash in 1997-1998, which led to Mahathir’s jailing of Anwar.
But Anwar formed a reformasi movement right after his firing as Minister of Finance and deputy Prime Minister in 1998.
This movement has changed the political history of Malaysia and now it has a hold in the Malaysian power game.
However, Mahathir said on Friday that Anwar would have to become a member of the Parliament first before the Pakatan decides on any cabinet role for him.
“That might take a long time,” said Dr Mahathir.